Current and Future Role of Data Science in the North

Carolina EconomyResearch Project

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Data Science and the North Carolina Economy

David Knowles ▪ Director of Economic Development

Renaissance Computing Institute (RENCI)

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Scott Doron ▪ Associate Director

Office of Science, Technology & Innovation

North Carolina Department of Commerce

Shannon McKeen ▪ Adjunct Faculty

UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School

Business Development ▪ National Consortium for

Data Science

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How important is Data Science to NC’s economy

today, and how important could it be in the future?

Project underway to survey NC data science leaders on

identification of the most valuable strategies:

Survey/research of major data science assets in the state

Qualitative survey of 30+ data science leaders from industry, academia, and government

Broader-based online survey of employer skill needs and the NC data “ecosystem” coming

soon

Engagement with KFBS “STAR” Program student team: Develop methodology to assess the

state’s relative standing nationally

Conscious effort to be geographically and otherwise diverse

Report to be issued Summer of 2016

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Benchmark Findings

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Tech Jobs Good for NC – $$$$

Source: Labor and Economic Analysis Division, NC Department of Commerce.

Title Employment Annual Average Wage

Computer and Information Systems Managers 11,970 $130,440

Software Developers, Systems Software 10,540 $104,950

Computer and Information Research Scientists 300 $103,270

Computer Network Architects 3,980 $101,150

Statisticians 950 $96,840

Software Developers, Applications 21,190 $94,130

Computer Systems Analysts 16,680 $87,220

Computer Occupations, All Other 3,550 $84,480

Database Administrators 2,640 $83,960

Computer Programmers 7,370 $80,320

Business Operations Specialists 29,730 $69,460

Market Research Analysts/Marketing Specialists 12,910 $69,340

Operations Research Analysts 1,750 $68,810

Web Developers 2,860 $64,370

Detectives and Criminal Investigators 3,340 $54,610

North Carolina - All Occupations 4,030,880 $43,280

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Tech Jobs Important to NC’s Future

Description 2015 Jobs 2010-15 % Change Current Earnings

Software Publishers 12,565 68.41% $136,238

Computer Systems Design Services 21,627 60.38% $93,068

Custom Computer Programming Services 21,369 48.51% $105,088

Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services 12,152 29.30% $114,154

All NC Occupations 4,030,880 3.33% $43,280

Other Computer Related Services 2,792 -11.05% $103,730

Computer Facilities Management Services 686 -40.81% $79,609

Source: EMSI Q3 2015 Data Set as per NC Labor and Economic Analysis Division.

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Business Segment BOS CHI DCA DFW NYC PHL RDU LAX SAN SFO SEA

Bioinformatics/genomics 2.3 0.1 1.4 0.7 0.8 0.3 2.5 0.9 2.6 1.3 1.2

Web analytics 0.6 1.3 0.5 0.6 0.8 0.8 1.7 1.5 1.1 0.6 1.1

Sentiment/social media 1.2 0.9 0.8 0.8 1.3 0.4 1.6 1.2 0.7 1.5 0.8

Selected applications 0.9 1.0 1.2 0.7 1.1 0.7 1.4 1.3 1.2 0.9 0.8

Semantic analysis 1.2 0.5 1.3 0.8 1.4 0.9 1.3 1.2 0.5 1.4 1.0

Geo-spatial analysis 0.8 0.3 1.2 0.5 0.7 0.5 1.3 0.4 0.7 0.6 0.9

Data Integration 1.4 1.1 1.2 1 0.8 1.2 1.2 1.1 1 0.8 0.4

Automated trading - 5.9 0.2 0.5 3.4 1.0 1.2 0.8 - 0.4 0.9

Ad targeting / serving 0.8 1.1 0.2 0.5 3.1 - 1.2 3.5 0.3 1.6 0.2

BI and business analytics 0.6 1.1 1.0 1.5 0.9 1.3 1.1 1.0 0.9 0.7 1.2

Big Data 1.9 0.7 1.1 0.7 1.1 0.7 1.0 0.7 0.8 2.0 1.6

Hadoop 1.0 0.6 0.6 0.9 0.8 0.6 1.0 1.4 0.9 1.9 1.5

Fraud, threat & risk detection 0.7 0.8 1.3 1.0 0.9 1.2 1.0 1.1 1.4 0.6 0.6

Data analysis/visualization 0.8 1.0 1.0 1.1 1.0 1.1 0.9 0.9 1.0 0.9 1.0

Data Management 1.3 0.9 0.7 1 0.8 1 0.8 1.2 0.6 1.4 1

NoSQL/SQL 1.6 0.9 0.5 0.4 0.9 1.1 0.8 0.9 0.5 1.6 0.9

Data Warehouse 1.2 1.2 0.8 1.6 0.8 1.0 0.8 1.2 0.4 1.1 0.8

Data mining and analysis 0.7 0.9 1.0 0.8 1.0 1.0 0.8 0.8 1.0 0.8 0.9

Image analysis 1.0 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.8 0.7 0.8 1.3 1.4 1.0 0.4

DS/ML/Pred An 1.5 1.2 0.7 0.7 1.3 0.8 0.6 1.0 1.6 1.5 0.8

Data visualization 1.5 0.9 1.3 0.3 1.0 1.0 0.6 0.8 1.5 1.0 1.1

Network analytics 1.3 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.2 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.4

Cybersecurity 0.4 0.3 5.0 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.4 0.9 2.5 0.4 0.4

Source: 2013 analysis of LinkedIn data (Nexus Associates) as per The MA Big Data Report, 2013.

We Can Play With the Big Boys (In Certain Industry Segments)

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Top Hiring Big Data Companies: Broad Array of Industries

IBM Lenovo

ACCENTURE MetLife

Bank of America Novant Health

BB&T Corporation Oracle

Blue Cross and Blue Shield Pharmaceutical Product Development,

Carolina Healthcare System PricewaterhouseCoopers

Cisco Quintiles

Citrix Red Hat

Cree RTI International

DataMasters SAS Institute

Deloitte TEKsystems

Deutsche Bank Time Warner

Fidelity Investments United Technologies

General Dynamics Wells Fargo

Sources: The Conference Board Help Wanted Online (HWOL), February 2016, by Labor and Economic Analysis Division, Nov. 2015

- Feb. 2016.

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Interview Findings

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Qualitative interviews with 30 Stakeholders

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5 Themes Emerged from Interviews

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1. Data science assets are here but NC needs to spread the word

2. Workforce readiness key for statewide opportunities

3. Startup incubators and access to venture capital limited in NC

4. Collaboration across public and private sector is necessary to spur industry growth

5. Government has a role

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1) Data science assets are here but NC

needs to spread the word

• Stakeholders spoke positively of universities and companies in North Carolina like SAS, IBM, Red Hat, Inmar, etc.

• Interviewees felt the need for an inventory of data science assets that could be used in communications

• Quality of life measures are assets that are well known

• Some concern exists about disparities between regions

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2) Workforce readiness key for statewide

opportunities

• Data science relevant for all industries

• Shortage of qualified data science personnel

• Field changing so quickly, keeping up with new tools is a challenge

• A robust pipeline of data science talent in a region is required to maintain sustainable growth in the industry.

• Efforts at university underway but inadequate

• Biggest need in K-12 STEM

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3) Startup incubators and access to

venture capital limited in NC

• Start up activity under represented in NC

• Research okay but opportunities exist in translation

• Venture funding shortage

• NC can not compete with Silicon Valley or Boston but in key sectors enabled by data science NC could lead

• An innovation culture/community needs to be fostered

• Many of the interviewees had worked with startups

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4) Collaboration across public and private

sectors is necessary to spur industry growth

• Data Science community growing in Triangle needs work elsewhere

• No organization stepping up to lead effort

• More collaboration on research and workforce needed

• The existence of a data science community within a region (big companies, start ups, discussion forums) will attract and retain talent.

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5) Government has a role

• Government can convene stakeholders

• Define terms, set goals, track progress

• Lead by example (i.e., Open Raleigh,

GDAC)

• Support of universities with a focus on data

science research is necessary to establish the

industry’s infrastructure in a region.

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SWOT Analysis for Data Science in NC

Strengths

• University system

• Iconic industry leaders present in the state like (SAS,

IBM, Red Hat, Quintiles)

• Wake Tech’ analytics program

• NC Open Data/Government Data Analytics Center/NC

Innovation Center

• Domain expertise in biosciences, finance, and

manufacturing

Opportunities

• Community College system

• Existing clusters

• Translate university research

• Lead nation in developing policy framework

• Marquee data research center

Weaknesses

• Startup culture

• Venture capital funding

• Tech community limited

• Branding

• K-12 STEM

• No convener

Threats

• Technology disparity between regions

• Privacy/Security backlash

• Lure of small companies to SV & Boston for

funding/management expertise

• Big investments in Big Data from other states

Source:

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Questions